PaneOlio High Quality
Not just a slogan, but an extra virgin olive oil rich in antioxidants and a source of Vitamin EWe produce High Quality extra virgin olive oil, as defined in our Technical Supply Chain Specifications – learn more: PANEOLIO HIGH QUALITY SUPPLY CHAIN – with zero chemical residues and in full respect of the environment. We provide consumers and clients with all the directly verifiable and certified information needed for Conscious Consumption, so they can know what they eat, fully appreciate the product, and benefit from all its qualities. The high content of antioxidants and vitamin E enhances and ensures its health-promoting and sensory properties, characterized by typical pungent, bitter, and fruity notes.
To achieve this goal, we sacrifice higher yields, harvest our olives early, and mill them promptly. We carefully select the most suitable cultivars, adopt state-of-the-art extraction techniques, and take every possible measure because High Quality extra virgin olive oil is both delicious and good for our health.
The high concentration of polyphenols and vitamin E allows us to feature EFSA-approved health claims on our labels. We started with our oil boasting the highest antioxidant content: San Sebastiano 100% Italian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We will gradually extend this to our other oils as well. In authorizing the use of these health claims on labels, the EFSA provided the rationale behind its decision, established the minimum chemical and physical standards oils must meet at the time of consumption, and defined specific regulatory requirements. Below, you will find technical details and specifications of our oil, compared directly against the EFSA requirements.
Antioxidants are substances that protect cells by slowing down or preventing damage caused by free radicals, while delivering strong anti-inflammatory and protective benefits for the cardiovascular system. Free radicals are molecules responsible for oxidative stress, a process linked to premature aging and the onset of chronic or degenerative diseases.
In extra virgin olive oil, the primary antioxidants are polyphenols (such as hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleocanthal, and oleuropein), vitamin E (tocopherols), and squalene.
The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), established in 2002 to ensure safe food and sustainable food systems based on transparent, independent, and reliable scientific advice, allows extra virgin olive oil producers to display, among others, the following two label claims:
- “Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress” (EFSA Journal 2011;9(4):2033).
- “Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress” (EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1816).
THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT IS OBTAINED WITH A DAILY INTAKE OF 20 G OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL.
The EFSA Expert Panel issued favorable opinions on the use of these claims, concluding that the scientific evidence presented establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between the consumption of polyphenols and vitamin E and the claimed benefits.
Polyphenols must be standardized based on the content of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives (such as oleuropein complex and tyrosol), establishing a clear measurement method to distinguish extra virgin olive oils with higher antioxidant content and prevent misleading information for consumers.
The vitamin E content is measured by quantifying the concentration of alpha-tocopherols in the oil.
Regarding the first claim, the Panel considers that, to achieve this benefit (namely the “protection of LDL particles — low-density lipoproteins — from oxidative damage”) and to substantiate the health claim, 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives (such as oleuropein complex and tyrosol) in olive oil should be consumed daily. “These amounts, if provided by a moderate amount of olive oil, can easily be consumed within the context of a balanced diet. Concentrations in some olive oils may be too low to allow the consumption of this amount of polyphenols in a balanced diet” (EFSA Journal 2011;9(4):2033).
For this reason, this claim may only be used for extra virgin olive oil that contains at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 grams of product at the time of consumption.
The claim regarding polyphenols is exclusive to olive oil and cannot be extended to other food products. In particular, only extra virgin olive oil contains a specific class of phenols known as secoiridoids (complex molecules, such as oleuropein or ligstroside, formed by the binding of hydroxytyrosol with another compound, elenolic acid).
Unlike tocopherols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids and alcohols, which are found in many fruits and vegetables across diverse botanical families, secoiridoids are present exclusively in plants belonging to the Oleaceae family, which includes Olea europaea (the olive tree). Secoiridoids exhibit high biological activity; therefore, consuming small daily amounts of a “health-promoting” oil (2 tablespoons, equivalent to approximately 20 grams) is sufficient to achieve the expected benefits.
In addition to their potent health-promoting properties (anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic), secoiridoids are also primarily responsible for the characteristic bitter and pungent taste of extra virgin olive oil.
Regarding the second claim, “Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress,” our extra virgin olive oil also boasts a high content of tocopherols—predominantly in the form of alpha-tocopherol (90%), the precursors of vitamin E. Tocopherols are natural antioxidant compounds that play a crucial role across several areas:
- Biological action:They perform a crucial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory role, protecting the body against oxidative stress and free radicals.
- Oil preservation: They help safeguard extra virgin olive oil against rancidity, working in synergy with polyphenols.
- Thermal stability: They help maintain the stability of the oil’s nutritional and health benefits even at higher cooking temperatures.
To determine the vitamin E intake that must be provided through a daily consumption of 20 grams of extra virgin olive oil, reference is made to Annex XIII of REGULATION (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. This Annex establishes that the Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) for Vitamin E is 12 mg. The Regulation further specifies that, to be considered significant, the amount of a nutrient per portion must correspond to at least 15% of the NRV. In the case of extra virgin olive oil, a daily intake of 20 grams should therefore ensure an intake of at least 1.8 mg of Vitamin E.
| Phenolic composition and α-tocopherol content (mg/Kg) of EVOO SAN SEBASTIANO at the time of production | Expected values at the TMC | Values for 20 g of oil | Values required by EFSA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sum of oleuropein derivatives (a) | 945.1 ± 9.6 | 18,822 mg | 5 mg |
| α-tocopherol | 257.9 ± 4.6 | 5,158 mg | 1,8 mg |
| * Data are the mean of two repetitions ± the standard deviation. a) The sum of oleuropein derivatives includes: hydroxytyrosol, oleacein and oleuropein isomer aglycone | |||
On multiple occasions, industry experts and scholars have highlighted that the macro-category of extra virgin olive oil is excessively broad, advocating for its segmentation. Here, we cite Maria Lisa Clodoveo (University of Bari).
“The polyphenol claim is therefore well-suited to serve as a valuable legislative tool for segmenting the extra virgin olive oil category, enabling consumers to identify olive oils bearing the EFSA-approved health claim as the top tier—the ‘high quality’—within the extra virgin commercial category. Given that the current commercial classification of olive oils, established in 1991, is outdated and inadequate for appropriately describing the qualitative differences among products on the market, the polyphenol claim represents, in practice, an effective differentiation tool that allows consumers to attribute a premium price to the product.” Cf. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Claims: Limitations and Opportunities, by Maria Lisa Clodoveo, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Bari.
Below are the minimum parameters required to classify olive oil within the broad extra virgin category:
- Free acidity: ≤ 0.8% (expressed as oleic acid).
- Peroxide value: ≤ 20 mEq O₂/kg. UV
- Spectrophotometry: absorbance at specific wavelengths to assess secondary oxidation and alterations (e.g., K₂₃₂ ≤ 2.50; K₂₇₀ ≤ 0.22; ΔK ≤ 0.01).
- Organoleptic Examination (Panel Test): the defect median must equal 0 and the fruitiness median must be greater than 0 (Score ≥ 6.5).
Applying the best practices adopted to maximize polyphenol and vitamin content also enhances other quality parameters (acidity, peroxide value, and ultraviolet absorption coefficients).
To discover the characteristics of our oils, click here or scan the QR code on the packaging with your smartphone.